Ambitious Gamble
by MaplePucks
Summary: In her bid for President of Republic City, Zhu Li knows she has to get the hostile Spirits on her side. In the dark of night, accompanied by Varrick, she sneaks past the military into the Spirit Portal. But she did not head the Airbenders warning that the Spirits are done with humans. Will they survive their first journey to the Spirit World?


**Team:** Water Tribe  
 **Round:** 6  
 **Category:** Themed  
 **Prompt:** (3) Setting, Spirit World; (6) Color, Purple; (7) Speech, "Could you at least try to blend in?"  
 **Word Count:** 1530

Side Note: This fic is based on the canon comic story, "Turf Wars". Highly recommended LOK reading. I really do hope Zhu Li becomes president, I adore her.  
Fun Fact: Varrick's full name is Iknick Blackstone Varrick. No wonder he goes by Varrick.

* * *

 _"I bet if Spirits could vote, you'd change your tune!"_

Ever sense Korra had angrily yelled that at President Raiko, Zhu Li couldn't get the thought out of her head. Especially since Tenzin and the Avatar had convinced her to run for president herself. She mulled over it for days, losing sleep, hardly eating between that and her housing project. Varrick was starting to worry, she knew that, but still, the thought haunted her.

Why shouldn't the Spirits be allowed to vote? Now that a portal was set up in the city, Spirits would be directed impacted by laws and decisions that they made on there end. Take the current situation, a militaristic blockade at the portal entrance, a proposed amusement park and a vengeful Spirit that had already attacked a citizen. Zhu Li truly believed that if Spirits had a say, things would calm down, they would have a chance to build a mutual relationship. Start new.

All she would have to do is convince the Spirits of that. No easy task to say the least.

It was late when she set her plan in motion, under the cover of darkness she thought would be best. Varrick was of course by her side, she couldn't convince him to stay behind. She told him it would be dangerous and that they ran a huge risk of being caught but he stubbornly refused. It was his worry for her getting the best of him. Sneaking past the military and into the Spirit World was not something he would typically volunteer for. And, if truth be told, he wasn't all that cut out for it either.

For instance, he was wearing the brightest blue outfit he had. She rolled her eyes as he took the lead, scurrying around the edge of a tent, peering around it.

"Could you at least try to blend in?" She hissed in a whisper, throwing his a dark blanket to cover up with. He scoffed and tossed it aside.

"Why blend in when I was born to stand out?" He grinned back. She forcefully covered him and pushed his head down.

"Idiot." She replied simply, pulling him along. They had to be quick. Few if any guards were out right now. It was very late, the city was finally lulled into sleep. Not even the Triple Threats were active right now. It was their only chance.

Around a few more tents and tanks and they were off, running across the field towards the portal. If anyone saw them, no doubt they would extract them in mere seconds. Varrick ran slow but was behind her by heartbeats of time. She could hear her blood pounding in her own ears, she leaped up and into the yellow light and beyond. Varrick came barreling in behind her.

Once she caught her breath, she looked around her at the devastation. The Airbenders had told her it had become a wasteland when she asked about it in preparation for the trip but this was beyond what she thought. Everything was dead, brown and black. Decaying, the smell of death was all around. Nothing was moving, everything was silent. Varrick stood beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Even he was upset by the emptiness.

"No Spirits, my love." He said solemnly, frowning. "No one to talk-"

Suddenly, vines shot out from the ground, winding themselves tightly around Zhu Li and Varrick. First around their legs, twining then up around there torso's. The vines were only content to stop when they had bound their arms tightly at their sides. Zhu Li struggled, Varrick was screaming but nothing was helping. They were trapped. Zhu Li took a deep breath and shook her head.

She was about to tell Varrick to calm down when she heard a roar, a terrifying loud, thunderous roar. She looked around wildly, vaguely hoping that it might be the military, that someone had seen them go in and were coming to rescue them. But when she glanced at the sky, that hope was gone. The large dragon Spirit that she had been told attacked the gang leader came down from the sky. He looked angry and murderous, his eyes dark and glaring. Zhu Li flinched when he came close, turning her head from him.

"I specifically told the Avatar no more humans were to come into my World. I see that is another promise she has broken." He spat out, his tail flicking angrily like a cat. She shook her head. She really didn't want them to get off on the wrong foot.

"The Avatar has no idea we are here! We came on our own, to talk. Just to talk, please listen-"

"I don't listen to humans. And if you came on your own, then you are a fool who doesn't listen either. I have no use for you. You will die, here and now." He jerked his head and the vines began to wrap around Varrick's neck. "Your friend is first."

Zhu Li's eyes grew wide, watching as the vines got tighter and tighter around his neck. he struggled for air, trying to kick his feet. He looked over at her and she could see the fear and panic in his eyes. It made her own well up with tears.

"No! No, please don't kill him! He's only here because of me! He's innocent! He hasn't done anything, please!" She pleaded, watching the vines wrap tighter and tighter. She kicked and pulled at her own restraints, trying to get to Varrick.

"He is human. He is far from innocent." The Spirit said coolly.

Varrick's face began to turn blue, which slowly faded into a horrifying purple color. His gorgeous tan color grew pale and the purple welled up in his cheeks. He was only taking in the smallest of gasps every few seconds and his movements slowed considerably. Zhu Li screamed as he went limp.

"Varrick! Varrick, no!" She cried. She threw her head up to the Spirit, tears running down her face, her own breath shallow with panicked sobs of her own. "Please, I came to help the Spirits! I-I make it so the Spirits have their own say! I-I can give you a vote, please please let him go!"

She really didn't think that would work, she had lost hope when the vines around Varrick loosened. Her own bonds loosened and they both fell to the ground, Varrick with a sickening thud. He didn't move, he laid still. She scrambled over to him, checking his pulse beating on his chest. After some long tense moments, he began coughing and sputtering and she pulled him into her arms, holding him close.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She whispered, kissing him tenderly. She received a kiss in return before feeling his hands cup her face. When she pulled back, she saw that he was smiling, at the most impossible moment, he was smiling.

"Do the thing." He rasped quietly, nodding towards the Spirit.

Those words were so ingrained in her at this point, endearingly so, she stood up and brushed herself off. Her courage and ambition were found and she was ready to square off as best she could with the spirit. She put her hands on her hips and looked up at him.

"I'm running for President of Republic City, the metropolis you have such an issue with right beyond your portal. If I win, I will ensure that the portal is protected, not by military means, but the Air Benders, who have a long history of friendly relations with the Spirits. I want the Spirits to have a say in the way things are run, to have a vote." She took a deep breath, hoping her resolve would hold out and that her shaky knees would support her. "My ambition is to bring the two worlds together in harmony, in ways the Avatar couldn't even imagine. We want peace, only peace. Most of us do, the current President doesn't at all. You can help us change that, please."

There was silence for a long while, she stood there, protectively over her still weak husband waiting for the vines to finish the job. It took what felt like forever before the Dragon spoke.

"You can promise us peace?"

She swallowed hard and looked down to Varrick, who was holding his chest with a pained look on his face. She didn't want this, she didn't want any more violence. Her true ambition was peace.

"Yes, I can. If I'm elected, then I can promise peace." She said simply and undeniably strong.

The Spirit flicked his tail and nodded, "Then we will support you, in becoming President. In any way we can. For now, leave."

Zhu Li did not have to be told twice, she gathered Varrick easily into her arms and took off towards the portal. He was smiling, through everything, he was still smiling. She shook her head, "What are you smiling about? You almost died!"

"I married the most ambitious, wonderful, fantastic women EVER! I'm so happy!" He beamed.

Zhu Li blushed as she faded into the yellow light, returning them to Republic City.


End file.
